It's all from scratch, with high-quality ingredients.
This classic pastry cream-filled cake is one of those cake/pie desserts covered in a chocolate ganache and totally addicting.
A favorite cake mom made on special occasions that everyone loved.
In our family, rum is used in most Italian pastry creams, and this one is made that way also, you can leave it plain vanilla if you prefer that flavor for the traditional Boston Cream Pie.
Mom made some of the best cakes and here are some others to try: Spanish Bar Cake and Pistachio Cake, and Chocolate or Zucchini Cakes and if you love cupcakes don't miss trying Chocolate Boston Cream Cupcakes all vintage recipes and so delicious.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for this decadent cake recipe.
What is Boston Cream Pie?
Boston Cream Pie is a classic creamy filled cake that's been around since the 19th century, and some articles read this Boston Cream Pie was over famous in New England.
The Boston Parker House is in New England, (now the Omni Parker House) where this pie is served there for dessert.
It has been stated there, this is where this decadent cake kind of pie was born.
Their creation is much like ours, using butter and rum.
Mom made this since the early 1960s but without the chocolate on top.
She would use a sponge cake base, Italian rum pastry cream, and top with powdered sugar.
Ingredients to make Boston Cream Pie Italian Style
Cake:
- butter softened
- flour
- cake flour
- baking powder
- salt
- white sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- milk
Italian Pastry Cream:
- whole milk
- white rum or rum flavoring
- vanilla extract
- egg yolks
- granulated sugar
- cornstarch
- unsalted butter
Optional: light white rum
Ganache
- semisweet chocolate (I used good grade chocolate)
- heavy cream heat to boiling in the microwave
A Few Suggestions
- The best way not to get crumbs on your frosting is to freeze the cake first.
- Then while still frozen cut splitting the layer in two evenly.
- Fill and frost.
Here Are Some Tips!
- Rum extract can be used in place of alcohol for flavoring
- Almond extract is a nice alternative in the cream also
- Always wait until the cake is completely cooled before filling
- Use the toothpick method or a piece of spaghetti in the middle of the cakes to ensure the cake is cooked
- Always preheat the oven
- Grease and flour cake pans for easy removal
- Always use cake flour in the recipe or sift the regular flour at least 3 times before using
- Any leftover pastry cream is a delightful dessert all by itself or served with fruits
Where Did Boston Cream Pie Name Come From?
French Chef Sanzian, who was hired for the opening of the hotel, is credited with creating Boston cream pie.
This cake was originally served at the hotel with the names Chocolate Cream Pie or Parker House Chocolate Cream Pie
Boston Cream Pie got its name when cakes and pies were baked in the same kind of pans. The words became interchangeable.
In the 19th century, pies were in the same style tins as cakes.
Their cakes were famous for being moist, tender filled with delicious pastry cream, and topped with ganache.
The pastry cream is so delicious in this cake you can eat a dish of it as a dessert pudding!
Boston Cream Pie Italian Style Pin for later
More Decadent Desserts to Try!
Chocolate Banana Nutella Crepe
Cannoli
Cannoli Tarts
Cannoli Cake
Sfogliatelle Italian Pastry
Pusties Upstate NY Style
Boston Cream Pie Italian Style
Yield: 8
Prep time: 25 MCook time: Total time: 25 M
Boston Cream Pie Italian Style is a delicate golden cake filled with Italian Pastry cream and a decadent ganache icing on the top dessert
Ingredients:
- Cake:
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- Italian Pastry Cream:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon white rum or rum flavoring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Optional: 2 tablespoons light white rum
- Ganache
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate (I used good grade chocolate)
- 1 cup heavy cream heat to boiling in the microwave
Instructions:
- Cake:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
- Sift the flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
- In a deep bowl cream 6 tablespoons of the butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the 2 eggs, one at a time, then beat in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture alternately with the 1/2 cup of the milk in 3 additions, beating the batter smooth after each addition.
- Divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until cakes begin to shrink away from the sides of the pans and centers spring back when lightly touched.
- Turn the cakes onto wire racks to cool.
- Filling:
- In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla to a boil.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the cornstarch and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain.
- Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated with milk and vanilla.
- Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture.
- Using strainer into the saucepan, pour the mixture through a strainer back into the saucepan.
- Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and rum if using.
- Let cool slightly. Chill at least 2 hour
- Ganache
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate (I used good grade chocolate)
- 1 cup heavy cream heat to boiling in the microwave
- In a medium bowl, pour heavy cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until melted
- To assemble the pie, remove the cake from the pan. Cut the cake in half horizontally.
- Place the bottom layer on a serving plate or board, and spread with the pastry cream.
- Top with a second cake layer. Pour chocolate ganache over and down the sides of the cake.
- Top with maraschino cherry Store in refrigerator.
Boston Cream Pie Italian Style Pin for later
Don't Miss Trying Mom's Hot Milk Cake
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2009. It was edited and re-published in 2020.
